<p>EP President Metsola made&nbsp;a statement at the opening of the February session, followed by a full debate on the emergency humanitarian aid the EU can provide to Türkiye and Syria after the catastrophic earthquake, which cost the lives of more than 30 000&nbsp;people and destroyed tens of thousands of buildings, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.</p>

<p>Turkey has been candidate for EU membership since 1999. Accession negotiations started in 2005. In recent years the EU is often criticizing the backsliding of the country in certain areas. As a major emerging economy and a member of NATO and G20, Türkiye&nbsp;is recognised as an active regional foreign policy player, with a strategic location, including for the EU's energy security. Turkey is a key strategic partner of the EU on issues such as migration, security, counter-terrorism, and the economy, but according to the EU has been backsliding in the areas of democracy, rule of law and fundamental right.</p>

EU - Türkiye

EP Plenary session - Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of 'l'Abbé Pierre's appeal' on addressing homelessness in the context of persisting poverty and social exclusion

European Parliament kitchens, which have been specially reopened to prepare and distribute more than 1,000 meals a day to homeless people, those in need, and health workers tackling the COVID-19 emergency. The President described the initiative as “a good example of the Parliament’s public spirit.” The distribution is done thanks to collaboration with the associations: Resto du Coeur Saint Gilles, Douche FLUX, Croix Rouge, CPAS Ixelles.

European Parliament kitchens to produce 1000 meals a day for health workers and those in need

20240207-0900-PLENARY

Opening of the sitting

Composition of political groups

Negotiations ahead of Parliament’s first reading (Rule 71)

Empowering farmers and rural communities - a dialogue towards sustainable and fairly rewarded EU agriculture (debate)

Resumption of the sitting

This is Europe - Debate with the President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis (debate)

Voting time

Composition of committees and delegations

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

The fight against hate speech and disinformation: responsibility of social platforms within the Digital Services Act (topical debate)

Need to fight the increase of antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred (debate)

Automated data exchange for police cooperation (“Prüm II”) (debate)

The EU priorities for the 68th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (debate)

Implementation report on the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (debate)

Implementation report on the EU LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025 (debate) (continuation of debate)

New wave of mass arrests in Belarus of opposition activists and their family members

Increased number of executions in Iran, in particular the case of Mohammad Ghobadlou

Recent attacks on Christmas Eve in Plateau State in Nigeria

Commemoration of the 70th anniversary of Abbé Pierre's appeal on addressing homelessness in the context of persisting poverty and social exclusion (debate)

Explanations of vote

Agenda of the next sitting

Approval of the minutes of the sitting

Closure of the sitting

Plenary session

Resumption of the session

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting : see Minutes

Composition of committees and delegations : see Minutes

Composition of Parliament : see Minutes

Composition of political groups : see Minutes

Negotiations ahead of Council's first reading (Rule 72): see Minutes

Signing of acts adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (Rule 79): see Minutes

Order of business

Devastating Bushfires in Australia and other extreme weather events as a consequence of Climate Change (debate)

Cross-border organised crime and its impact on free movement (debate)

Common charger for mobile radio equipment (debate)

Gender pay gap (debate)

Housing First as urgent action to address the situation of homeless people in Europe (debate)

Plenary

EU homelessness strategy (debate)

Situation of the homeless in Europe as a result of the spell of cold weather (debate)

Support for strengthening the European Union ban on shark finning - Increased European Union support for grassroots sports - An EU homelessness strategy (Written declarations): see Minutes

Homeless help centre in Brussels - Belgian Red Cross (Croix Rouge de Belgique) staff members  accompany  people in need through reinsertion.

Red Cross services for homeless people in Brussels- Night shelter

Volunteer preparing healthy sandwiches to serve a meal to the poor. Food distribution. Red Cross logo

Red Cross services for homeless people in Brussels.

Meeting:  Increasing levels of homelessness in the EU, what actions are possible at European level ?

Homeless people in the UK are living proof of the great impact of the EU financial crisis.

Press conference on the Written Declaration 111 on ending street homelessness: returning to the Round Table on Poverty.

Press conference in Strasbourg on Passing of written declaration on homelessness

Homeless people in the streets of Strasbourg.

Illustration of poverty in the streets of Brussels

Homeless

Beggars and homeless persons in urban zones

Members of the European Parliament have roundly condemned the destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine, attributed to occupying Russian forces. The resulting flooding has caused deaths, placed dozens of settlements under water and left thousands of people homeless.   
    
The floods are also an ecological catastrophe: ravaging farmland and habitats, destroying aquatic life and releasing pollution into the Black Sea.  

Parliament also discussed how to help Ukraine sustainably rebuild after the damage inflicted nearly 500 days after Russia’s full-scale invasion. MEPs are calling for international efforts to support and rebuild Ukraine.

Ukraine: Parliament condemns dam destruction

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Brussels (18-21 January 2021), MEPs debate and vote on a resolution that calls for adequate housing to be a fundamental right as well as for measures to prevent homelessness. Extracts from the debate (20/01) with statements by Kim VAN SPARRENTAK (Greens/EFA, NL), Rapporteur, Nicolas SCHMIT, European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Dennis RADTKE (EPP, DE), Leïla CHAIBI (The Left, FR), Agnes JONGERIUS (S&D, NL), final vote (21/1) and illustration footage.

Decent and affordable housing for all: extracts from the debate (20/01) final vote (21/1) and illustration footage

This infoclip shows Red Cross making street tours and meeting people who live on the street to listen to them, offering them a hot drink, food and directing them to adequate services. The Red Cross Emergency and Orientation Center is doing everything to welcome in dignity people who are homeless in Brussels. Some example of services: distribution of the Hygiene Kit, CAW Social Aid, refectory for lunch and evening meals, bed and washing machine (shooted before the Covid crisis). Roms Camp in Lille shooted with the help of "Solidarités International" team.

Infoclip: Homelessness in the EU - Decent and affordable housing for all

Parliament approved measures allowing consumers to launch collective action in the face of injustice and called for steps to make it easier to repair products. MEPs pressed for action to fight a rising trend of homelessness in the EU. Parliament called for the EU’s updated industrial strategy to take into account the impact of Covid-19 and demanded access to medicine be made easier across the bloc.

Plenary highlights: Consumer rights, the industrial strategy and fighting homelessness

There are no official figures for homelessness in the EU but is estimated there are some 700,000 people sleeping rough in Europe, 70% more than a decade ago. The European Parliament is calling for an EU-wide strategy to help people off the streets and into decent housing by 2030.

Ending homelessness in Europe

David SASSOLI, EP President, visits the temporary exhibition at the Parlamentarium showing portraits of women accompanied by the new Samu Social of Brussels. The European Parliament provided a place for homeless women to stay in the offices of officials who were required to work from home during the lockdown. The women were given their own rooms that they could use night and day, to give them space and security during a moment of crisis.

Opening of “Femmes” exhibition at the Parlamentarium: visit and statement by David SASSOLI, EP President

In Luxembourg, the European Parliament kitchens produce meals every day to be distributed to those in need, as well as to health workers to help them do their jobs, in the framework of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Infoclip: Covid-19 - EP buildings used in the fight against COVID-19 - Preparation of daily meals for people in need in the EP kitchens in Luxembourg

In Strasbourg, the European Parliament kitchens produce 500 meals a day for single parent family and young people in need to help them in the framework of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Infoclip: Covid-19 - EP buildings used in the fight against COVID-19 - Preparation of daily meals for people in need in the EP kitchens in Strasbourg

This Infoclip illustrates: health and medical equipment hospital shelter - Isolation and medical centre for homeless and transit migrants, in Brussels, Belgium, in the context of the coronavirus outbreak (Covid-19).

Infoclip: Covid-19 - Health and medical equipment: hospital shelter - Isolation and medical centre for homeless and transit migrants

In Brussels, the European Parliament kitchens produce 1000 meals every day to be distributed to those in need, as well as to health workers to help them do their jobs, in the framework of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Infoclip: Covid-19 - EP buildings used in the fight against COVID-19 - Preparation of daily meals for people in need in the EP kitchens in Brussels

This infoclip illustrates take-out meals to 50 homeless people in Brussels, Belgium, in the context of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Infoclip: Covid-19 - Distribution of free dinner to homeless people

This infoclip shows the company Engels Group that has decided to give away its stock of hand disinfectant gel for free to organisations in need, such as an old peoples home and an association for homeless people, and is delivering it to their doors, in Antwerp, Belgium, in the context of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak.

Infoclip: Covid-19 - Distribution of free disinfectant gel to old people’s home and homeless association

This Infoclip illustrates the centre opened by Médecins sans frontières (MSF) in the Tour & Taxis building, in Brussels, in the context of the coronavirus outbreak, where rough sleepers who have tested positive for COVID-19 can stay and receive medical care, and from where they can be referred to hospital if their symptoms worsen. The 50-bed centre can be extended to 150 beds if needed.

Infoclip: Covid-19 - MSF medical shelter for homeless and undocumented migrants with COVID-19

The Red Cross Emergency and Orientation Center is doing everything to welcome in dignity people who are homeless in Brussels but above all wants to offer quality support in order to find, lasting solutions for getting out of homelessness. Of course, medical and psycho-social aspects are also our priorities. The consortium created with CAW Brussels and Doctors of the World provide support in all these aspects.

Social affairs - Housing First The Red Cross Emergency Reception and Referral Center for the Homeless

There are 17,000 homeless in Belgium, more than 4,000 of them in Brussels. To help them, during the winter, the Red Cross makes street tours during which 240 volunteers meet people who live on the street to listen to them, offer them a hot drink, food and direct them to adequate services. Each tour has its itinerary in order to cover the entire territory of Brussels.

Social affairs - Housing First Red Cross - street touring teams for helping homeless

This infoclip illustrates topics as job search; soup kitchen programme, homelessness; medical assistance for homeless people; parental leave and seasonal work.

Infoclip: Social Europe

This infoclip illustrates : Soup kitchen distribution in Athens, closed shops in the centre of Athens and homeless person living in an empty shopping mall.

Infoclip: Greece - Economic recession and poverty

Homelessness is an abuse of fundamental human rights say MEPs who have set ambitious targets for EU countries to ensure aid and long-term housing is made available.

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